Research Subject Area: Analytical Chemistry

REF impact found 82 Case Studies

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Summary of the impact

Novel vapour sorption experimental methods for the characterisation of
complex particulate materials have been developed in the Department of
Chemical Engineering. This research and expertise resulted in the creation
of Surface Measurement Systems Limited (SMS), whose Dynamic Vapour
Sorption (DVS) and Inverse Gas Chromatography (IGC) instruments are now
found in >500 laboratories around the world. They are recognised
standard research and development tools in the global pharmaceutical
industry (DIN 66138). SMS has contributed >270 man-years of employment
and generated £27M of turnover, whilst SMS instruments have generated over
£300M of economic value, over the REF period.

Submitting Institution

Imperial College London

Unit of Assessment

Aeronautical, Mechanical, Chemical and Manufacturing Engineering

Summary Impact Type

Technological

Research Subject Area(s)

Summary of the impact

Research into electrochemical biosensors conducted at the University of
Cambridge between 1998
and 2002 led to the development of the WaveSense™ line of diabetes
products by start-up,
AgaMatrix. By 2012 AgaMatrix had sold 3M glucose meters & 3B biosensor
test strips worldwide
across 20,000+ retail locations including Boots UK, and since 2010 also
globally in partnership with
Sanofi. [text removed for publication] AgaMatrix UK continues to grow its
business with compound
annual growth rates for revenue in excess of 100%. Agamatrix UK now
supplies over one million
glucose test strips per month to the NHS. Agamatrix has developed >10
FDA-cleared products
since 2008, including the first FDA approved smartphone linked diagnostic
device.

Research Subject Area(s)

Summary of the impact

A new procedure for the measurement and characterisation of
polycrystalline exchange bias
systems has been developed which has impacted significantly the
manufacture of computer hard
drive read-heads by companies such as Seagate Inc and Western Digital
Corp. The new
measurement procedure has enabled a typical 40% increase in the thermal
stability of the
antiferromagnetic materials used in computer hard drive read heads. The
procedure has also
improved the manufacturing process of the read-heads giving increased
material performance and
has resulted in a ~25% improvement in the resolution of detecting a bit.

Summary of the impact

Innovative geochemical research led by Selby at Durham has permitted
savings of up to $70M in global mineral and petroleum exploration
programmes (e.g., Andes of S. America; West of Shetlands oilfields).
Selby's research has developed a unique geochemical toolbox using rhenium,
osmium, platinum and palladium that constrain more accurate geological
models leading to better reserve predictions. The toolbox provides
previously unavailable geological time constraints and source
identification of resources (e.g., copper, gold, crude oil) that
gives mineral and/or petroleum companies an enhanced economic advantage by
improving reserve estimates and/or reducing exploration budgets and/or
minimising the environmental impacts of exploration.

Research Subject Area(s)

Summary of the impact

A range of techniques based on laser physics and developed since 1993 by
the group of Prof Telle in our analytical laser spectroscopy
unit (ALSU) has led to:

Founding a spin-off company, Applied Photonics which produces
remote-sensing products employing laser spectroscopy to detect the
chemical composition of unknown samples aimed at the military and
nuclear energy industry. This technology has allowed multi-million
pound savings on the operational costs of nuclear plants due to their
functionality in normally inaccessible radioactive environments thus
avoiding the need for a power station shutdown.

Establishing a laboratory in the Atomic Weapons Establishment
(AWE) dedicated to the stewardship of UK's nuclear weapons stockpile and
chemical explosives by detecting isotopic abundances in uranium samples
and analysing the composition of munitions deteriorating in desert
environments;

Assisting the design and development of a new product line of Spectrum
Technologies, a market-leading company which removes specialised
enamel insulation from conductors used in the aerospace industry.

Summary of the impact

This case study outlines how research into the frictional behaviour of
nuts and bolts (threaded fasteners) has found commercial applications and
contributed to the improved safety of transport systems, industrial plant
and equipment. A number of significant impacts have developed from a
long-term research association between this UoA and the company Bolt
Science, based in Chorley, Lancashire. Drawing on UCLan-based research,
training materials have been developed by Bolt Science and delivered
globally to encourage the safe and correct use of threaded fasteners in
the engineering industry. Bolt Science have drawn on research conducted at
UClan to inform a major accident investigation by the Rail Accident
Investigation Branch as well as solutions to problems in other engineering
applications.

Research Subject Area(s)

Summary of the impact

This case study outlines the impact in generating investment in a
spin-out SME and in developing a technology for clinical diagnosis based
on chemistry research carried out in Bath. The research led to a spin-out
company, Atlas Genetics, which has raised over £18M funding in the REF
period specifically to develop the Atlas io™ platform, novel
technology for rapid (<30 minute) and robust detection of infectious
diseases suitable for point-of-care. The investment has created new jobs
for highly skilled workers at the cutting-edge of medical diagnostics,
with Atlas currently employing 36 staff. The io™ platform has
been fully developed and has undergone successful clinical tests on
multiple infections (based on bespoke Chemistry developed at Bath) prior
to clinical trialling and rollout in Europe and the United States.

Research Subject Area(s)

Summary of the impact

Cardiff University research led to second-generation chemiluminescent
technology. The invention allowed for internal amplification control in
nucleic-acid based clinical diagnostic assays for infectious disease and
produced results with greater accuracy and fulfilled previously unmet
regulatory standards. Adopted by the market leader in nucleic acid
diagnostics (a sub-licensee of Cardiff University) the Cardiff technology
is used globally in more than 60 million in vitro diagnostic tests
annually. Sales of the tests approach $500 million per year and the
sub-licensee was subsequently sold for $3.8 billion.

Summary of the impact

King's College London (KCL), operating a state-of-the-art Drug Control
Centre (DCC) in collaboration with GlaxoSmithKline (GSK), delivered the
anti-doping analysis at the London 2012 Olympic and Paralympic Games. This
operation, undertaken in their World Anti-Doping Agency's (WADA)
accredited laboratories, was characterised by unprecedented scale, speed
and accuracy. It succeeded in protecting the health of athletes and the
integrity of the Games. KCL was chosen to undertake the 24/7 anti-doping
operation based on its cutting-edge bio-analytical research in drug
control. Although a number of athletes were disqualified in the pre-Games
testing, the deterrent effect of the KCL work was evidenced by the few
doping cases during the Games itself. Using the new biomarker test
developed by the DCC at KCL in collaboration with colleagues at the
University of Southampton, the team identified for the first time the
administration of recombinant human growth hormone (hGH) in two athletes.
The findings of the KCL-led operation are already being used to develop
similar testing facilities for the 2016 Olympic Games in Rio de Janeiro
and have opened up the science of drug-testing to schools through the
"Scientists in Sport" initiative.

Summary of the impact

Bio Nano Consulting (http://www.bio-nano-consulting.com)
was established as an operating business in 2007 through a joint venture
between Imperial College London and UCL, whose formation was underpinned
by research produced by Professor Tony Cass's group at Imperial. The
company is the first consultancy in Europe to focus on the increasingly
important intersection between bio- and nanotechnology, and it facilitates
the development and commercialisation of new biomedical and
nanotechnology-based techniques. Since its start-up, the company has
attracted numerous clients across the aerospace and diagnostics sectors,
including Lockheed-Martin and [text removed for publication]. The
company's activities have generated £6M worth of revenue and it has a
growing portfolio. The company, which is based in London, currently has 8
full time employees.